Just like with every competitive game, Konami has to put in additional work to make sure Yu-Gi-Oh! maintains a balanced competitive meta with the release of every few sets.
This is done through the use of a Forbidden and Limited card list that’s constantly updated and makes sure no card can be abused in a format for more than a few months at a time.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG ban list (which is separate from Master Duel’s ban list) is broken down into three specific parts, with a fourth being included at the end of every update simply to show which cards are no longer having their usage limited.
- Forbidden: A card is not allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- Limited: Only one copy of a card is allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- Semi-Limited: Only two copies of a card are allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
Konami typically spaces out its ban list updates by about three months, giving players time to implement new product releases into their strategies and create new decks, while also allowing the company to gather more data and make informed decisions about which cards to hit next.
Here’s the current Forbidden and Limited card list, which will be put into effect on April 15, 2024. All of these listings are based on the Advanced Format, which is the official format used for Regional, National, and World Championship events.
Full Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Forbidden and Limited card list
Forbidden
Effect Monsters
- Agido the Ancient Sentinel
- Artifact Scythe
- Barrier Statue of the Stormwinds
- Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow
- Block Dragon
- Cyber-Stein
- Dandylion
- Djinn Releaser of Rituals
- Eclipse Wyvern
- Eva
- Fairy Tail – Snow
- Fiber Jar
- Fishborg Blaster
- Glow-Up Bulb
- Grinder Golem
- Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard
- Level Eater
- Magical Scientist
- Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin
- Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King
- Mathmech Circular
- Maxx “C”
- Mind Master
- Performage Plushfire
- Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis
- Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders
- Ronintoadin
- SPYRAL Master Plan
- The Tyrant Neptune
- Victory Dragon
Fusion Monsters
- Elder Entity Norden
- Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom
- Tearlaments Kitkallos
Link Monsters
- Crystron Halqifibrax
- Curious, the Lightsworn Dominion
- Guardragon Agarpain
- Guardragon Elpy
- Heavymetalfoes Electrumite
- Isolde, Two Tales of the Noble Knights
- Knightmare Goblin
- Knightmare Mermaid
- Linkross
- Linkuriboh
- Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon
- Prank-Kids Meow-Meow-Mu
- Predaplant Verte Anaconda
- Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty
- Spright Elf
- Summon Sorceress
- Superheavy Samurai Scarecrow
- Topologic Gumblar Dragon
- Union Carrier
Synchro Monsters
- Baronne de Fleur
- Borreload Savage Dragon
- Chaos Ruler, the Chaotic Magical Dragon
- Tempest Magician
Xyz Monsters
- Kashtira Arise-Heart
- Lavalval Chain
- M-X-Saber Invoker
- Number 16: Shock Master
- Number 42: Galaxy Tomahawk
- Number 86: Heroic Champion – Rhongomyniad
- Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker
- Number 95: Galaxy-Eyes Dark Matter Dragon
- Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL
- Outer Entity Azathot
- True King of All Calamities
- Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity
- Zoodiac Broadbull
- Zoodiac Drident
Spells
- Brilliant Fusion
- Butterfly Dagger – Elma
- Card of Safe Return
- Cold Wave
- Confiscation
- Delinquent Duo
- Dimension Fusion
- Giant Trunade
- Graceful Charity
- Heavy Storm
- Kaiser Colosseum
- Last Will
- Mass Driver
- Metamorphosis
- Mirage of Nightmare
- Mystic Mine
- Painful Choice
- Pot of Greed
- Premature Burial
- Smoke Grenade of the Thief
- Soul Charge
- That Grass Looks Greener
- The Forceful Sentry
- Zoodiac Barrage
Traps
- Appointer of the Red Lotus
- Branded Expulsion
- Imperial Order
- Last Turn
- Red Reboot
- Return from the Different Dimension
- Royal Oppression
- Self-Destruct Button
- Sixth Sense
- Summon Limit
- Trap Dustshoot
- Ultimate Offering
- Vanity’s Emptiness
Limited
Normal Monsters
- Left Arm of the Forbidden One
- Left Leg of the Forbidden One
- Right Arm of the Forbidden One
- Right Leg of the Forbidden One
Effect Monsters
- Archnemeses Protos
- Astrograph Sorcerer
- Black Dragon Collapserpent
- Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos
- Bystial Magnamhut
- Cyber Jar
- Danger!? Jackalope?
- Danger!? Tsuchinoko?
- Dark Grepher
- Exodia the Forbidden One
- Keldo the Sacred Protector
- Lunalight Tiger
- Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin
- Miscellaneousaurus
- Morphing Jar
- Mudora the Sword Oracle
- Performapal Monkeyboard
- Phantom Skyblaster
- PSY-Framegear Gamma
- Red Rose Dragon
- Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders
- Rescue-ACE Air Lifter
- Substitoad
- Tearlaments Havnis
- Tearlaments Merli
- Tearlaments Scheiren
- Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms
- Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls
- Unchained Soul of Sharvara
- White Dragon Wyverburster
- Zoodiac Ratpier
Fusion Monsters
- Gem-Knight Master Diamond
- Thunder Dragon Colossus
Link Monsters
- Striker Dragon
- Sunavalon Dryas
- Sunvine Healer
Synchro Monsters
- Ancient Fairy Dragon
- Denglong, First of the Yang Zing
- Ib the World Chalice Justiciar
- PSY-Framelord Omega
- T.G. Hyper Librarian
Xyz Monsters
- Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal
- Daigusto Emeral
Spells
- Called by the Grave
- Card Destruction
- Card of Demise
- Chain Strike
- Change of Heart
- Chaos Space
- Chicken Game
- Divine Wind of Mist Valley
- Dragonic Diagram
- Final Countdown
- Foolish Burial
- Gateway of the Six
- Gold Sarcophagus
- Harpie’s Feather Duster
- Infernity Launcher
- Instant Fusion
- Into the Void
- Magical Mid-Breaker Field
- Monster Gate
- Monster Reborn
- One Day of Peace
- One for One
- Reasoning
- Reinforcement of the Army
- Sekka’s Light
- Set Rotation
- Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones
- Slash Draw
- Snatch Steal
- Terraforming
Traps
- Anti-Spell Fragrance
- Gozen Match
- Magical Explosion
- Naturia Sacred Tree
- Rivalry of Warlords
- There Can Be Only One
- Time Seal
Semi-Limited
Effect Monsters
- Armageddon Knight
- Dinowrestler Pankratops
Spells
- Lightning Storm
- Purrely Delicious Memory
- Purrely Sleepy Memory
- Runick Fountain
Newly unlimited
Effect Monsters
- Destiny HERO – Malicious
- Orcust Harp Horror
- Speedroid Terrortop
Spells
- Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!
